Locket



L. C. MARK April 22, 1941.

LOCKET Filed oct.V 1, 1940 FIGI.

INVENTORI Lou/J C /VAR/f .BY

ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNTED STATES' PATENT .@r'iii 8 Claims.

My invention relatos to improvements in lockets adaptable as pendants orcharms for chains and containing a casing for pictures or otherkeep-sakes, and the objects of my improvements are to attain the thingscommonly sought in such articles, including a construction whichobviates the objections to the hinged or snap covers With which suchlocket containers are usually provided, renders said containersconveniently severable from their encasements, and provides a locketwhich shall be simple in construction and economical to manufacture andstrong and `durable in use. A further object of my improvement is toprovide a novel construction of locket having a double faced container,the parts being so constructed and arranged that the locket shall beartistic and ornamental and also compact.

I attain these objects by means of a novel ccnstruction, combination,and arrangement ci parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification, in which Fig. l is a View in perspective of the loclretas it appears in closed position;

Fig. 2 a plan View of the locket as it appears p when opened;

Fig. 3 a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the accompanying drawing I show my inventionas` embodied in a locketof simple, fiat circular shape for simplicity and convenience ofillustration, it being understood that the conguration of the locketforms no part of my present invention and that I do not limit mysehc inAthis respect, the essential features of my invention being themechanical structure of the container and its incasement, specically ashereinafter indicated.

My invention comprises a keepsake container in the form of a disc crplate I of any desired external configuration, having a flange 2 aroundits periphery to provide a seat for a picture or other keepsake 2a,connected at a point near its periphery, by a hinge 3 having a pin 4serving as a pivot, to a point near the periphery of a second keepsakecontainer comprising a disc or plate 5 of the same externalconiiguration as the disc or plate I, the disc or plate 5 having aflange 6 around its periphery to provide a seat for a picture or otherkeepsake 5a. A spring I is coiled around the pin a in such manner thatthe disc or plate I will be automatically distended outward on the axisof the pin 4 from the disc or plate 5 when the said discs or plates aredisengaged from the aperture or recess formed by the cover members ofthe incasement or body hereinafter described, as shown in Fig. 2.

Preferably, the disc or plate 5 should be somewhat larger than the discor plate I so that when the Alatter is folded inward on the axis of thepin 4, and thereby superposed on the disc or plate 5, it will lie whollywithin the inner face of the disc or plate 5, as shown in Fig. 4.

The disc or plate 5 is provided with an integral arm or tongue 8 on itsperiphery, positioned some distance from the hinge 3, which arm ispivoted by a or rivet 9 between the plates Iil and ii oi the incasementor lock-et body, at a point near the periphery oi said body. The frontplate IB and the rear plate II may be of any desired externalconguration which will permit the discs or plates I and 5 to oe whollyconcealed in the edge aperture or recess between their respectivesurfaces when the locket is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 4.

Diametricaliy opposite the pivot 9 on the periphery of the disc or plate5 is positioned an integrally formed finger engaging lug I2 sodirnensioned that it will extend beyond the encasing discs or plateswhen the locket is in closed position, to facilitate opening the locketfor inspection.

Between the incasement disc or plates Ii! and I I; extending from apoint at their periphery adjacent to the tongue or arm 8 but at adistance therefrom suiiicient to permit the said tongue or arm to rotateon the pivot 9 and extend the discs or plates I and 5 as shown in 2, toa point somewhat less than half the distance around the periphery of theincasement discs or plates, is positioned a narrow strip I3, ofsufficient thiol;- ness to form an edge aperture or recess between thesaid inca-sement discs or plates which will permit rotation of the discsor plates I and 5 on the fulcrum. of the pivot arm or tongue 8 to theclosed position as shown in Fig. 3. The said easement discs or platesmay ce secured to the strip I3 by rivets M, I5 and IS, or by othersuitable means.

At a point on the periphery of the incasing members, preferably on thestrip I3 `adjacent the lug E2, is positioned a ring I'I by which theentire locket may be suspended from a chain or other article. The saidring may be secured to the rivet I6 as shown in Fig. 4, or may besecured in any other suitable manner.

The locket thus constructed is thin and compact and may be suspendedfrom a chain or may be `carried in the pocket or purse. When it isdesired to have access to the locket, the nger is engaged with the lugl2 and downward or outward movement is imparted to the enclosedcontainers. The latter swing upon the pivot 9 until the nested ortelescoped plat-es l and 5 clear the body, whereupon the spring 1 causesthe keepsake container parts to swing to open or extended position. Toclose the locket, it is but necessary to swing the plates l' and 5together and move them inwardly of the locket case or body; the spacedplates of the latter holding the keepsake container together. The spring'I exerts outward pressure upon the plates I and '5, which causessucient frictional contact between the said plates and the case or bodyto retain the nested containers in closed position and againstaccidental or casual opening.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I vclaim as new anddesire Ito secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a locket, the combination of an incasement formed with an edgeaperture, a keepsake container having a tongue or arm on its peripherypivotally secured to the edge of said ineasement, and a second keepsakecontainer hingedly secured to the rst keepsake container.

2. In a locket, the combination of an incasement formed With an edgeaperture and having a suspender loop, a keepsake container having atongue or arm on its periphery pivotally secured near the periphery ofsaid incasement, a second keepsake container hingedly secured to the rstkeepsake container, and means for distending the second from the rstkeepsake container on the fulcrum of the said hinge.

3. In a locket, the combination of an incasement formed with an edgeaperture and having a suspender loop, a keepsake container having atongue or arm o-n its periphery pivotally secured near the neriphery ofsaid incasement and adapted to be inserted into and removed from saidincasement through said aperture in alignment with the main plane ofsaid incasement on the fulcrum of the said pivot, and a second keepsakecontainer hingedly secured to the first keepsake container having aspring coiled around said hinge for distending the second from the rstkeepsake container on the fulcrum of the said hinge.

44. In a locket, the combination of an incasement formed with an edgeaperture and having a suspender loop, a keepsake container having atongue or arm on its periphery pivotally secured near the periphery ofsaid incasement and adapted to be inserted into and removed from saidincasement through said aperture in alignment with the main plane ofsaid incasement on the fulcrum of the said pivot, said keepsakecontainer having finger engaging means positioned integrally itsperiphery to facilitate opening the locket, and a second keepsakecontainer hingedly secured to `the rst keepsake container having aspring coiled around said hinge for distending the second from the firstkeepsake container on the fulcrum of the said hinge.

5. In a locket, the combination of an exterior casing provided withfront and rear plates held apart by a peripheral strip, said exterior`casing being formed with an edge aperture and having a suspender loop,a keepsake container having a tongue or arm formed integrally on itsperiphery pivotally secured on said exterior casing near its peripheryand adapted to be inserted into and removed from said exterior casingthrough such edge aperture in alignment with the main plane of saidexterior casing on the fulcrum of the said pivot, said keepsakecontainer having nger engaging means formed integrally on its periphery,a second keepsake container hingedly secured to the rst keepsakecontainer and adapted to be superposed contiguous to and within theinner face of the first keepsake container, and having a spring `coiledaround said hinge for distending the second from the rst keepsakecontainer on the fulcrum of the said hinge.

6. In a locket, the combination of an exterior casing consisting offront and rear plates held by a relatively narrow strip extending abouthalf way around the periphery of said exterior casing and having asuspender loop integrally formed on the edge of said strip, a keepsakecontainer having a tongue or arm on its periphery pivotally secured tosaid exterior casing at a point near its periphery and adjacent one endof said strip and adapted to be inserted into vand removed from saidexterior casing through the edge aperture formed by the said exteriorcasing and strip in alignment with the main plane of said exteriorcasing on the ful-crurn of the said pivot, said keepsake containerhaving nger engaging means integral its periphery to facilitate openingthe locket, a second keepsake container hingedly secured to the firstkeepsake container having a spring coil around said hinge for distendingthe second from the rst keepsake container on the fulcrum of the saidhinge, said second keepsake container being somewhat smaller than therst keepsake container and thereby adapted for superposition within thekeepsake-retaining flange of the rst keepsake container.

'7. In a locket, an incasement comprising a body having an edgeaperture, a keepsake container pivoted within said body and movable intoand out of the latter through said aperture, and a second keepsakecontainer hingedly connected to said iirst named keepsake container, andmovable in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of thesaid rst keepsake container. l 8. In a locket, an incasement comprisinga flat hollow body having an edge aperture, a keepsake container pivotedwithin said body and movable into and out of the latter through saidaperture, a secon-d keepsake container hinged to the first keepsakecontainer for swingingmovement in a direction at right angles to theplane of movement of the rst keepsake container, and a spring tending tomove said keepsake containers apart.

LOUIS C. MARK.

